Method of lixiviating ores.



G. VERVUBRT. METHOD OF LIXIVIATING ORES. nruoumu FILED AUG. 2, 1909 Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

:m e e e a s 666966 GSGSSSG UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOTTFBIED VERVUERT, OF IMSBLCH, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO EUGEN ABRESCH, OF

' NEUSTADT-ON-IlflE-HARDT, GERMANY.

-.IllZE'lKOID 01 LIXIVIATING ORES.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

Application filed August 2, 1909. Serial No. 510,712.

' for this purpose is contained in spacious vessels'; this process makes it difiicu t to obtain a rapid and complete lixiviation for several reasons." Besides this, after draining oil the solu ions a large art of the solvent adheres to t e ore partic es which can only be" removed by using great quantities of washing water.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these disadvantages.

Accordin to the present invention the process of ixiviatin is effected b placin by ban or mechanically in a vertical plane and in such a manner that the drum is partially or completely immersed in thelixiviatin liquid perip contained in a special vessel. The rum is provided with holes at its periphery, through which the liquid has access to the ore, and is also provided with a removable cover, to enable the ore to be introduced or removed. The drawing shows an apparatus which may be used for carrying out the process.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 2 is a cross section.

.1 is the reservoir for hold' the lixiviating fluid, above which is 3ourn'aled the drum 2, which may be set in motion by a pulley\ belt 3. The drum is iprovided-at its cry with holes, wh e the cover 5 serves to close the openin for introducing or empt ing out the ore. he liquid can be remove from the vessel 1 through the cock 6.

The rotation of the drum in a vertical plane, while partiall immersed in the lix-' iviating so1ut1on,'w' give the ore particles to exert an abrasive or rubbin a tumbling movement that will cause them action on each other, which has a peculiar y favorable influence on the leaching; and at the some time the particles of di erent sizes will be kept well mixed, which is also a,desideratum.

I am aware that it has been proposed to give the ore a shaking movement during the caching operation, but this does not result in a tumb ing motion, which is especially effective, and on theother hand it causes the light particles to remain permanently at the top of the mass, regardless of the agitation, and the heavy particles to be segregated at the bottom. 7

Another very important feature of the invention is that'the rotation of the drum is attended with free access thereto of atmospheric air, whereby the chemical reactions,

Letters Patent is the following:

The method of lixiviating ores, which consists in introducing the ore into a perforated drum in such quantity that the particles may have a free movement therein with respect to each other, and in rotating the drum while partially immersed in the lixiviating solution, whereby the ore is iven a turnbling motion to cause the rub ing or abrasive action of the particles on each other during lixiviation, and the articles of diflerent sizes are kept well mix during such operation, the rotation of the drum being attended with the free access thereto of atmospheric l air, to accelerate the chemical reactions; substantially as described.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of 

